Wondering what other students have found valuable in the course? Below are a testimonials from a few of my previous students from WRTG 3020: Rhetoric of Gender & Sexuality.
| Name & Term | What did you find most valuable about your learning experience in the class? |
| Erik R.
Spring 2015 |
I feel that the most valuable aspect of WRTG3020 was the encouraging environment with its open atmosphere. Because the course was inviting and not as rigorous as other writing courses I have taken, I felt that I learned more because I had the necessary “breathing room” to absorb what I had learned and properly apply it. Apart from that, the most valuable things I took away from the course were the abilities to combine good writing practices with digital literacy. Class activities, weekly journals, and other assignments or projects allowed me to find the areas in which my writing was deficient and find ways to fix these and become a stronger writer in, especially in the digital arena. In addition, I was able to learn more about gender and sexuality than what I previously knew. I was able to learn how such pertains to a variety of people outside of my own experiences and use this new information in the correct context. Amy is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about both writing and gender/sexuality; it was clearly evident in the way she taught, the feedback she provided, and the examples she gave. All of these aspects were a valuable part of my learning experience. |
| Megan C.
Fall 2014 |
During my time in Rhetoric of Gender and Sexuality (WRTG 3020), many sensitive and somewhat “taboo” topics were raised. In most settings, these social issues tend to make groups of strangers uncomfortable. Under Amy’s direction, however, I found the classroom transformed into a safe setting for true learning and critical thinking. Amy is an extremely kind instructor who knows how to approach sensitive topics professionally and inclusively. That is, students never appeared to be afraid to ask the tough questions. Rather, we were encouraged to explore the topics of gender and sexuality together in a friendly academic setting.
In addition to her good nature and extensive knowledge of the topics, Amy’s sense of organization and profound ability to teach and write concisely made class navigation very simple. As the course was a hybrid between in-person lectures and online activity, this was very important. The entire structure of the course was easy to understand and predict. If anything was ever unclear, Amy was always available via email for questions. Amy laid out very clear expectations for weekly assignments. She often began the assignments with a short introduction or discussion in order to encourage critical thinking as well as creativity. Since my time in WRTG 3020, I’ve found myself analyzing popular positions more closely. This has helped me develop my own true opinions on serious social topics and critique a variety of work while maintaining an open but guarded position. In fact, the concept of rhetorical awareness has become the basis for my gender-related thesis in which I intend to argue against old and biased methods of study and thinking within psychological literature. |
| Barrett V.
Fall 2014 |
Blogging is emerging as the most recognized way to connect with an audience. The skills I learned and Amy’s instruction gave me confidence with WordPress and other creative tools. As an aspiring entrepreneur I’m beginning to appreciate her class even more; as I begin my attempt to create an audience of my own. Thanks Amy! |
| Daniel A.
Fall 2014 |
Ms. Goodloe’s Writing and Rhetoric course offered me a unique and valuable perspective on complex issues involving gender and sexuality. Ms Goodloe incorporated the discussion of these topics within the modern social media outlets in which these controversial issues have been debated and rapidly evolved, allowing her students to engage in meaningful social dialogue with their peers and gain firsthand knowledge of how discourse frames public perception. This was one of the few courses I have taken at CU where I really got to learn from my fellow classmates as well as my instructor, all while learning more about current events that related to course materials. I enjoyed the class and felt that I after taking it I was not only more informed about gender and sexuality, but also about technology’s impact on modern writing as well. |
| Elena S.
Spring 2014 |
I sincerely enjoyed taking Ms. Goodloe’s Rhetoric of Gender and Sexuality last year; the subject matter is one of my passions. I went into it with a lot of prior knowledge and was excited to write on something about which I actually had a lot to say. I was already familiar with much of the rhetoric itself, but the quality of my writing has definitely improved since I learned rhetorical awareness–how to tailor my writing style to my intended audience. Knowing how to speak to my readers more effectively is an invaluable skill. Using the voice that I discovered and began to hone during that semester, I have written several blog-style articles on gender and sexuality, some of which have even garnered a little attention. The piece that I wrote for Ms. Goodloe’s class has been reblogged on tumblr over 70 times, which I know isn’t much by Internet standards, but it means 70 perfect strangers read something I wrote and liked it enough to pass it on. The experience gave me the courage to continue writing online. |
| Ariel J.
Fall 2013 |
My experience in Amy Goodloe’s class was an extremely positive and valuable experience. Amy made sure that each student understood the technology that we were required to use for the class before assignments were due. She was readily available over email for help as well. Amy was thoughtful and listened when I needed help and was able to accurately help me solve problems. She was respectful to students and the sensitive nature of the material. I enjoyed her class immensely and found everything I learned in the class especially valuable. Even two years later I can distinctly remember the class, what we learned, and projects that I completed. I have recommended this class to many friends because her teaching style mixed with the content was very valuable to me. This was one of my favorite classes that I have taken at CU as it allowed me to think outside of the box about sexuality in society while also teaching me about current writing styles such as blogging and video blogging. This class is invaluable to me. |
| Kelsey B.
Fall 2013 |
I have taken classes before about gender and sexuality, but I did not learn very much in them. We talked theory out of textbooks and wrote essays to convey our thoughts. In your classes, we were encouraged to look at the every day media outlets to see examples of how gender and sexuality play out. You made the theories relatable and therefore more interesting. In addition, you gave us the opportunity to learn how to use media to convey our thoughts or opinions through our final projects. I was able to learn how to use a green screen and work more with video editing, which is a skill I can use outside of the classroom.
Expectations were very clear and grading scale followed what I expected it to. I would say that rhetorical awareness plays out in my every day life. I work in Residence Life at CU now and I have to be aware of this every day as we put out advertisements for programs or even in the shows and videos my student staff are showing to others. |